The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-04-09


over it in hungry remembrance of the
warm home breakfasts.
The sun had scarcely riser above the
low hills when watery-look,ng clouds
obscured the whole sky, and chill
wind whistled through the bushes. Jim
got the pony and started for home. On
fresh, cool mornings exercise of any
kind is delightful, and he had not gone
far before his spirits were considerably
heightened.
Crossing gully his quick eye dis
cerned a mark on the other side. 1t
was a child's footprint in the snow. He
followed it up and found chain of
such prints. But all around, intersect-
ing it in places, were the tracks of the
prairie wolves.
just then the ground shook as the
band of mounted herders swept past
Jake alone refined up beside him. His
face showed that he had been drink
ing.
Don't you wish you hadn't lost your
chance of catching Old Abe?" he
sneered.
Eve as good a chance as you have.
) but I've something better to do" the
boy returned, tracing the tracks as he
spoke. Jake looked at him a moment;
: then, seeing how far the others were
| ahead, spurred his bronchO into join
t ing them.
= Left to himself jim moved along,
Q watching the ground with intense in
| terest. Last night she was alive, then,
J and he might still find her. The light
4 snow, however, rapidly disappearing,
/ gave him no further aid.
Startled by the well-knOwn rush of
+ hoofs and clamor of voices he hurried
: his pony to point whence he could
: see the chase. Straight onward flies
a the Infatuated steer, hotly pursued by
e the herders. They have nearly run
It him down. The mighty head is lower
ed, the fierce eyes haggard, and the
= muscles tense with eXertion. tits easy
IS to see that he is near his end; easy to
:, know, also, that his last struggle will
o be desperate one.
n Lifting his head Old Abe glared
Il around him; then lowering his horns,
made Il sudden sweep to the right at an
n object not twenty yards away. GOOD
lie heavens! 1t was the light dress and
yellow hair of little Kitty Nichols A
+ general shout rose. More than one re-
d volver was drawn, but the shot wa:
e, withheld for fear of hitting the wrong
" mark. Jake had the only chance, anC
he was equal to the emergency. HI
1t swung his rawhide lasso, The loop flew
p out, settled over those cruel whit,
horns, and the watchers drew breatl
" of relief. The child, who, unable t.
he fly, had fallen into half kneeling pc
as sition, rose little, ms if in hope; whel
Ig suddenly Jake caught sight of jim
It Rowell. With demoniac yell he Gu
OF and flung the rope from the saddle be
fore it had been stretched.
)" "There it is Take it' he shouted
", bursting into laughter:
II 1t was pretty rough crowd, and NO
ry one in it but wished at that momen
ke that Jake's moose was around his ow
10 neck.
JIM honest, hot blood, chilled an in
de slant before, leaped with indignation
rs and all his frontier learning came t
he his assistance. He dashed after tn
nd trailing rope, threw himself down an
ed caught it from the ground, rightin
en- himself in the saddle before the strai
ell came, and just as AL Thompson's wei
iy directed shot laid the brindle savage .
lie the very feet of trembling Kitty. The
ID, found her weak and chilled, but sti
sh safe and well.
in Jimmy was quite hero for fe
lst days, his strained arms and torn hant
Us bearing witness to his adventure; bl
It'll he had sense enough to accord !
MS Thompson fair share of the prais
His old enemy left that part of IL
P" country; probably he had his own re-
re- sons, but people laid the credit of h
a absence to that days occurrences.
to Wasn't my little girl afraid wht
w, the wolves came around her at night
tiff Kitty's happy mother asked her.
al NO." the child answered. "Yc
Up told me if prayed to God He wouldn
10Y let any thing hurt me, and you see T
ue- didn't"-with satisfied turn of Il
to flaxen head. But" she continue
Ter refectively, al was afraid when tn
vas steer was coming for me. All the me
re- and horses made so much noise
her thought God mightn't hear me SOC
enough. Overland Monthly.
her -
lily; Be Sure to Beware Of